Newspaper Page Text
VOL. 132 NO. 38 48 PAGES 5 SECTIONS PLUS INSERTS A PUBLICATION OF MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. JEFFERSON, JACKSON COUNTY GEORGIA 30549 50« COPY
— Inside —
“All in all, this place is a puppy mill. They breed dogs until they die.” — comments from a former kennel employee
Area news:
•STAR students, teachers
recognized at event
page 2A
•Maysville plans public
hearings on tax rates
page 2A
Op/Ed:
•'Puppy mill bust could be
a turning point'
page 4A
Sports:
•Dragon hoops stopped at
state playoffs
page 1B
Nicholson kennel owners arrested
County to take over \puppy mill’
%
HUGHES
BY ANGELA GARY
ALLEGATIONS OF neglect at a Nicholson
kennel led to warrants being issued for the arrest
of the four operators of L.D. Farms and Kennel.
Jennifer Hughes and Brandy
Stone have been arrested and
charged with misdemeanor and
federal animal cruelty charges.
Warrants have been issued for
Marie and Ronnie Hughes.
The action comes after a
former employee filed a com
plaint about the conditions at
the kennel, including lack of
proper food, shelter and care
for the almost 300 puppies and
dogs on the 23-acre site on
Sanford Road in Nicholson.
“All in all, this place is a
puppy mill,’' the woman wrote
in the report. “They breed dogs
until they die."
The woman worked at
the kennel two days before
quitting because of the
conditions of the animals. She said she
repeatedly asked that the sick puppies be
continued on page 3A
STONE
Humane society
seeks volunteers,
donations, homes
THE HUMANE Society of Jackson County
is accepting donations of _
food, money and other items ™
to be used for the care of the 706-367- INI.
dogs found at a Nicholson
“puppy mill.” Foster homes p
and adoptive homes will be
needed as well in the com- ^20 animals
ing days. euthanized
For more information j n 2007
or to make a donation,
leave a message on the
Humane Society hotline at 706-367-1111.
“The Humane Society of Jackson County is
delighted with the action and hard stand Jackson
County’s commissioners and its staff are taking
in the Nicholson abuse case,” said Angela
Gosnell, president of the HSJC board of direc
tors. “Thanks to their efforts, Jackson County
has turned the comer to a humane approach
continued on page 3A
KENNEL UNDER
INVESTIGATION
Allegations of neglect at a
Nicholson kennel led to war
rants being issued for the
arrest of the four operators of
L.D. Farms and Kennel. Marie,
Jennifer and Ronnie Hughes
and Brandy Stone will all be
charged with misdemeanor and
federal animal cruelty charges,
including lack of proper food,
shelter and care for the almost
300 puppies and dogs on the
23-acre site on Sanford Road
in Nicholson.
Photos by April Reese Sorrow
Features:
•Winterguard kicks off
inaugural season at EJCHS
page 1C
•Jackson County Boys and
Girls Club now an indepen
dent organization
page 7C
Other News:
•School News
pages 8-12B
•Public Safety
pages 8-9A
•Legals
pages 9-2 0C
•Church News
pages 10-11A
•Obituaries
page 12 A
Record-breaking win
- 1
-
HISTORIC VICTORY
The Jefferson Dragon wrestling team celebrates their record breaking eighth consecutive state championship. The win also marks the
team’s 12th overall state title. Photo by A! McLeod
School tax
exemption on
week’s agenda
STATE RER Tommy Benton’s
legislation to increase the school tax
exemption for senior citizens will
be introduced this
week.
Benton said Tues
day that the bill
should go before the
House this week for
consideration. He
doesn’t anticipate
problems with the
legislating passing.
Rep. Benton proposes to double the
homestead school tax exemption for
those over the age of 62 from $10,000
to $20,000. For homeowners over age
65, Benton proposes to increase the
exemption from $30,000 to $50,000.
The latter exemption has an earned
income limit of $18,000 per year.
The proposed increase in exemptions
only affects school taxes and would not
affect general county property taxes. It
will impact all three school systems.
BENTON
First Baptist rezoning again tabled
Councilman recommends food bank be located in church annex
BY ANGELA GARY
A CONTROVERSIAL
rezoning request by the First
Baptist Church of Jefferson was
again tabled by the Jefferson
City Council Monday night.
The request involves a house
purchased by the church which
is being used for a food bank.
Nearby residents have opposed
having the property rezoned to
mercial use, fearing in part
that FBC will eventually
use the property as part of
building an in-town “mega
church.”
Monday night, Jefferson
councilman Roy Plott rec
ommended the food bank be
moved into the church annex
instead of housed where it is
a com- now located. Last month, the rezon-
PLOTT
ing was tabled after city officials
asked church members and neigh
bors opposed to the zoning change to
“negotiate” their differences.
Plott said at this week’s meeting the
two sides were not able to come to an
agreement. This led him to make sev
eral recommendations and asked that
the rezoning be tabled until the March
continued on page 3A
Elrod to seek sixth term as tax commissioner
LONG-TIME JACKSON
County tax commissioner Don
Elrod will be seeking his sixth
term in the upcoming election
in November.
Elrod has been a resident of
Jackson County for 50 years,
having moved to the county
at the age of nine from North
Carolina. He is a graduate of
Jefferson High School and attended
Gainesville College, before serv
ing with the U.S. Navy Seabees
from 1969-1972.
Elrod is married to Janice
Nabors Elrod and they have
a daughter, Amy Phillips, and
a son, James. They have three
grandchildren with another
due in May.
Elrod and his wife are
members of Bethany United
Methodist Church, where he
has served on numerous committees.
He is currently serving as chairman of
the board of trustees and treasurer of
the Bethany Men’s Club.
He retired from the Jefferson
Volunteer Fire Department in January
2006, after 27 years of service, having
last served as chief. He is a member
of the retired Georgia Firefighter’s
Association, the Constitutional
Officer’s Association and the Georgia
Tax Officials Association, where he is
currently serving as second vice presi
dent in charge of training.
continued on page 3A
ELROD
Madison plea
hearing set
for Tuesday
A PLEA hearing has been set for
10 am. Tuesday, March 4, in Banks
County for former
District Attorney
Tim Madison,
who was indicted
in August on theft
charges.
Madison and
two others, his
wife Linn Jones
and former ADA
Anthony Brett
Williams, were
charged with diverting public funds
while the three worked in the Piedmont
Judicial Circuit DA’s office. Jones
and Williams will also be present for
Tuesday’s hearing, but it is not known
whether they will be entering a plea.
continued on page 3A
MADISON
Pat Bell will not
seek re-election
JACKSON COUNTY Board of
Commissioners chairman Pat Bell
announced this week that she will not
seek re-election.
“Four years ago,
when you elected
me as commission
chairman, I ran on
the platform of
who I am, the for
mer county exten
sion agent, county
commissioner and
state representa
tive who had a
desire to instill honesty, integrity and
openness in our county government,”
Bell said. “I believe together we have
accomplished this while performing
the duties of this office. The county’s
business will never be finished. A great
and growing county like ours will
always present challenges and oppor
tunities for leaders to address. I encour
age anyone who has a passion to serve
their fellow man and desire to shape
the direction of our county to come
forward and serve.”
continued on page 3A
BELL